Welcome Welcome to Hawthorn : Lloyd Meek

[AlwaysHawks15]

3 isn't enough considering Lynch's concussion issues

It's more than enough. Ramsden can also ruck which makes 4. Melbourne have 2. Admittedly it's arguably the 2 best in the game but if 1 gets injured there's a heavy reliance on one or the other and Gawn is getting older now. It's the area in our list that has the right balance now.

 

[Ned Ryerson]

Hawthorn rucks = Spinal Tap drummers

I'm waiting for Meek to choke on vomit...(which may or may not be his own)

Hoping that doesn’t mean Reeves is going to spontaneously explode at the G one day.

 

[BrunoV]

Interested to see how this plays out.

I see Meek as the best current understudy, or at least that was the case before he joined the Hawks. He's not pretty but he's a big brute of a man and plays with that presence which is more important than possession accumulation for the position. He strikes me as quite similar to Mumford, though 3 inches taller and a better tap ruck, with an instinct to use his size as opposed to physically punishing anyone within reach. Obviously there is still a massive gap to reaching peak-Mumford in terms of influence on a game.

Edit: maybe Sam Jacobs

10

Sam Jacobs

Age

36

Ht

200cm

Wt

102kg

Pos.

Ruck

Career

Season

Last 5

D

13.3

3star

K

7.2

3star

HB

6.1

4star

CL

2.3

4star

HO

32.8

5star

D

6.5

1star

K

4.3

2star

HB

2.3

2star

CL

3.3

4star

HO

27.5

5star

D

8.0

2star

K

2.0

1star

HB

6.0

4star

CL

1.0

3star

HO

15.0

5star

is a better comparison. Very similar size and shape though I reckon Meeks moves better. I think he can get to that level.

I also think Reeves, with Draper, is a clear standout ruckmen of the next generation.

While on paper I'm not generally a fan of the look of 2 rucks, neither of whom can play forward, it has its place. It would surprise me if Meek broke his contract to continue to be an understudy.

It seems to me they will both play.

Rucks stocks look good, particularly when you throw in that kid from the MSD.

 

[streetspirit]

Hopefully if they do no sub in 2023 it’s a no brainer to carry two ruckman

 

[BIGHAWK23]

Hopefully if they do no sub in 2023 it’s a no brainer to carry two ruckman

It will be 5 on the bench

 

[matey]

Interested to see how this plays out.

I see Meek as the best current understudy, or at least that was the case before he joined the Hawks. He's not pretty but he's a big brute of a man and plays with that presence which is more important than possession accumulation for the position. He strikes me as quite similar to Mumford, though 3 inches taller and a better tap ruck, with an instinct to use his size as opposed to physically punishing anyone within reach. Obviously there is still a massive gap to reaching peak-Mumford in terms of influence on a game.

Edit: maybe Sam Jacobs is a better comparison. Very similar size and shape though I reckon Meeks moves better. I think he can get to that level.

I also think Reeves, with Draper, is a clear standout ruckmen of the next generation.

While on paper I'm not generally a fan of the look of 2 rucks, neither of whom can play forward, it has its place. It would surprise me if Meek broke his contract to continue to be an understudy.

It seems to me they will both play.

Rucks stocks look good, particularly when you throw in that kid from the MSD.

Hope the kid from the MSD becomes our CHF

 

[Simon Crawshay]

It will be 5 on the bench

I much,much, much prefer a straight 5 on the bench than 4 plus that ridiculous injury sub.

Not Clarkos finest hour getting that change made, was always going to be exploited.

And instances like Connor Downie who only played one match as an injury sub and didn't even get on the ground were just ridiculous.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

 

[HedgeFund]

View attachment 1550773

A number of clubs are now scrambling for back up rucks. I feel we have our ruck department sorted now. It's actually a strength of ours.

A strength? Seriously?

That’s taking it a bit too far.

We have an exceptionally inexperienced ruck group. The total AFL games played by our 4 rucks is 42. Less than half a season on average for each.

We have enough big bodies to fill the spots if 2 get injured, and we have significant room for development.

Optimism abounds

 

[TylerDurden]

A strength? Seriously?

That’s taking it a bit too far.

We have an exceptionally inexperienced ruck group. The total AFL games played by our 4 rucks is 42. Less than half a season on average for each.

We have enough big bodies to fill the spots if 2 get injured, and we have significant room for development.

Optimism abounds

Yeah I am serious. 10 teams made calls to Meek's manager. He's ready to go.
Reeves is an up and coming stand out ruckman in the comp for his age.
Lynch and Ramsden the back up.

Many clubs only have 2 rucks on their list.

It's now a strength of ours when you assess against other clubs.

 

[eldorado]

And all rucks absolutely in ruck prime, all 24 years old.

 

[Noel Gallagher]

Yeah I am serious. 10 teams made calls to Meek's manager. He's ready to go.
Reeves is an up and coming stand out ruckman in the comp for his age.
Lynch and Ramsden the back up.

Many clubs only have 2 rucks on their list.

It's now a strength of ours when you assess against other clubs.

Agree with TD 100%. I have never been so bullish about our ruck stocks in such a long long time. Reeves and Meek have well and truly served their apprenticeships and ready to go. Both very different which means we can probably play both most games. Lynch just needs luck with injuries and is more than a handy back - knows where the goals are too which is a bonus. On top of that we have Ramsden who will be given time to develop at Box hill playing forward and back up ruck

No more robbing Nash and Kozi of precious development pinch hitting in the ruck either. Hopefully both have big years in their respective positions next year

 

[Brant]

Yeah I am serious. 10 teams made calls to Meek's manager. He's ready to go. Reeves is an up and coming stand out ruckman in the comp for his age. Lynch and Ramsden the back up.
Many clubs only have 2 rucks on their list.
It's now a strength of ours when you assess against other clubs.

I reckon some clubs will spew if there's a rule change post Trade period & there's suddenly a 5-man bench for 2023.

Fair chance some clubs would want to play 2x Ruckmen, with the 5th Benchman an extra runner, but didn't take the opportunity/ies to build the list that way as the rules didn't allow it at the time.



*sure they could grab a Statie to fill the list as a back-up, but that's not really the point.

 

[AlwaysHawks15]

A strength? Seriously?

That’s taking it a bit too far.

We have an exceptionally inexperienced ruck group. The total AFL games played by our 4 rucks is 42. Less than half a season on average for each.

We have enough big bodies to fill the spots if 2 get injured, and we have significant room for development.

Optimism abounds

We could get decimated again and still have at least 1 available which is highly unlikely. You need at least 3 on your list IMO to have the stability you need. This part of the ground is set and forget now. We watch them all develop together as a group while we sort out the other areas of the ground. We should be competitive most weeks or provide decent enough service to the mids it's whether they can take advantage of it at this stage of the rebuild will be the issue.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

Meek and Reeves 1-2 combination is going to be great to watch.

 

[B&GBlood]

Reeves will be a handful resting forward he has shown he is good below his knees to. If Meeks can also snag a goal resting forward we will be well served. Imagine being the second string ruck
coming up against either

 

[TylerDurden]

Imagine being the second string ruck
coming up against either

Exactly. I love it.

 

[B&GBlood]

I look forward to Meeks against some of the stronger rucks like Draper Gawn and the Nankervis

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

There is no S in Meek.

 

[The German Hunter]

There is no S in Meek.

Sleek Meek?

 

[grumbleguts]

There is no S in Meek.

There is, however, in Meeks, which is apparently what a large proportion of those on here think his name is.

 

[tommyk72]

Sleek Meek?

Smeekle?

 

[spudmaster]

There is no S in Meek.

 

[SammyC]

Think we were reluctant to play 2 rucks with 4 on the bench, the best mix being a number 1 who plays 70% and a fwd/ruck to give chop out. Problem for us was Ned struggled to play the 70% due to fitness & dodgy shoulder.

If the afl moves to 5 on the bench, think most teams who don’t have a quality fwd/ruck option (us) will play 2 genuine rucks.

Think Ned can give some shock value up fwd but it’s probably more floating fwd rather than starting there or catching opposition off guard.

 

[JZedd]

Reeves will be a handful resting forward he has shown he is good below his knees to. If Meeks can also snag a goal resting forward we will be well served. Imagine being the second string ruck
coming up against either

Agree. Our midfield is pretty much starting from scratch. Which is not a bad thing. They will all learn each other's style, strengths and weaknesses together.